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Jehovah's Witnesses win appeal in Rostov

ROSTOV PROVINCIAL COURT SETS ASIDE DECISION IN "CASE OF 16" CONVICTING TAGANROG JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

Portal-Credo.ru, 12 December 2014

 

On 12 December the Rostov provincial court set aside the decision of the court of first instance in the "Case of 16" Jehovah's Witnesses from Taganrog, and remanded the case for a new trial, the press service of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reports. The high-profile case was opened against the Jehovah's Witnesses for organizing peaceful worship services and attending them.

 

Previously, on 30 July, the Taganrog city court, after acquitting nine, found seven believers guilty and sentenced them to penalties from large fines up to suspended sentences of five and a half years in prison. The prosecutor's office considered this sentence to be too mild and filed an appeal. (tr. by PDS, posted 13 December 2014)


ROSTOV PROVINCIAL COURT SETS ASIDE SENTENCE IN TRIAL OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

Kavkazskii uzel, 12 December 2014

 

The sentence in the trial of 16 members of the Taganrog congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses was completely quashed today by decision of the Rostov provincial court. The case was remanded for a new review.

 

Kavkazskii uzel reported that Jehovah's Witnesses were accused of extremism, since they continued to participate in activity of the congregation after its ban. On 30 July nine of the accused were acquitted, four were given suspended sentences and fined, and fines were issued for another three defendants. The court released all of the convicted from payment of the fines because of the expiration of the statute of limitations. The sides in the trial appealed the sentence: the Jehovah's Witnesses demanded complete acquittal and the prosecutor demanded a new consideration of the case.

 

Yesterday, 11 December, at the first session on the appeals, the side of the defendants spoke. Today the court heard the prosecutor, after which it made the decision to cancel the verdict both in its indictment portion and in the acquittal, one of the Jehovah's Witnesses' lawyers, Alena Borodina, told a Kavkazskii uzel correspondent.

 

"The judge overturned both the guilty and the acquittal verdict. Today we heard only the conclusion of the resolution. The rationale part will be published later. After this the resolution of the appellate court will be sent to the Taganrog court," the defense attorney explained.

 

Information about the court's decision was also confirmed by the press service of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.

 

Kavkazskii uzel still does not have commentaries from the sides with assessments of the decision of the provincial court. (tr. by PDS, posted 13 December 2014)

 

 

Background article: Some Jehovah's Witnesses found guilty, sentenced, but not punished
July 30, 2014

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